Topic: plants for clay

[aquilegia]

My garden is so dry right now. Everything looks brown and sad, other than the NZ flax and rose (I'm not particularly keen on either!) We're on heavy London clay. Gets very wet in the winter, and now bone dry (even after rain). I don't have time or desire to water it lots. I don't have the time or energy to dig in lots of grit. I mulch every spring, but it doesn't seem to have made much difference to the soil.

What plants will cope with wet winters and dry summers?

[small]

This is flowers you're after? The things that do best for me are crocosmia, I've got 2 wonderful clumps of Lucifer out now when everything else has given up for the summer, the other thing that doesn't seem to mind the hard dryness is wild scabious, seeds itself copiously every year, and of course it's wonderful for bees.

[aquilegia]

I love both of those and have neither, so that's good news.

But yes, flowers, I particularly like smallish wild flowers. Some shrubs would be good (I've lost one of my hebes this summer).